Chiara and Dante De Blasio to Headline Coney Island Mermaid Parade

Democratic mayor-elect of New York, Bill de Blasio, hugs his daughter Chiara and son Dante during his election victory party on Nov. 5.

Reuters

Mayor Bill de Blasio’s teenage children will serve as King Neptune and Queen Mermaid in the 32nd annual Mermaid Parade in Coney Island next month, the event’s organizers said Thursday.

“As King Neptune and Queen Mermaid, Dante and Chiara de Blasio will hold the highest position of honor in the parade, a unique and artistic celebration of ancient mythology and the honky-tonk seaside ritual that attracts hundreds of thousands of visitors,” said the not-for-profit organization, Coney Island USA, which puts on the parade, in a news release announcing the first family’s participation in the June 21 event.

Dante de Blasio, a 16-year-old high school student, and Chiara de Blasio, a 19-year-old college student, played an outsized role in their father’s successful mayoral campaign and have since become prominent fixtures in the civic life of New York City. Both were featured in campaign ads last year, and, in recent months, Ms. de Blasio has spoken out about her struggles with depression and substance abuse.

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